Benefits of Woody Biomass Utilization

Woody biomass utilization provides both direct and indirect benefits. Direct and indirect benefits are intricately woven throughout the guiding principles, creating opportunities for social, ecological, and economic improvements. Because these benefits are key factors in the decision making process to increase woody biomass utilization, they need to be clearly quantified and communicated to agency employees, agency partners, businesses, interest groups, and the public. Today’s financial markets for goods and services do not always reflect these benefits. Financial markets currently exist for air pollution offsets, renewable energy credits, and carbon sequestration credits. Carbon life cycle analysis and full consideration of no action or alternative fate of woody biomass will help improve understanding of costs and benefits Successful implementation of this strategy will result in the following benefits of woody biomass utilization.

Woody biomass provides important ecological functions such as soil organic matter, nutrient cycling, hydrological functioning, and coarse debris for wildlife habitat. These ecological factors must be considered when deciding what biomass is surplus and can be removed. This strategy is not intended to address all of the important considerations in deciding what to leave behind and what to remove to accomplish land management planning objectives.